Despite FDA Caution, Trump Says He Is Taking Hydroxychloroquine As A Preventative

President Trump on Monday revealed to reporters that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine and zinc to protect against the coronavirus.

Trump has been promoting the drug, used to treat malaria and lupus, in briefings and on Twitter. The impact of the drug on the virus is being studied, but there is not yet evidence from medical trials – and there have been some warnings about side effects from taking the medicine, including from the Food and Drug Administration.

Trump volunteered the information at the end of a roundtable with restaurant owners.

"I was just waiting to see your eyes light up when I said this," Trump told reporters. He said he had been taking it for a week and a half. He asked his doctor to take it after hearing from people who had done so. "Here's my evidence — I get a lot of positive calls about it," Trump said.

"I've taken it for about a week and a half now. And I'm still here," Trump said.

Trump said he had asked the White House physician about it, and that he did not start taking it in response to a specific exposure.

Medical experts have urged caution around the drug and last month, the FDA strongly warned against using hydroxychloroquine without medical supervision such as in a hospital or as part of a clinical trial. [Copyright 2020 NPR]